The EUREKA Awards for 2025 and awarding the certificates to the scholarship holders for the academic year 2025/2026

 

On January 28, 2026, in the building of the National Palace of Culture in Sofia, the ceremony for awarding the winners of the awards of the Evrika Foundation for 2025 for "Achievements in Science", "Best Young Manager", "Best Young Inventor" and "Best Young Farmer" was held. The awards were given for the thirty-sixth time in a row for "Young Manager", thirty-fifth for "Young Farmer" and "Young Inventor" and thirtieth for "Achievements in Science".

 

The awards are given to young people for their significant achievements in science, for inventions of great public importance, for achievements in the management of business organizations, as well as for thehighest results in the development of agricultural activities. The awards are annual and aim to stimulate thebest achievements in the field and broadly promote among the public the mosttalented and capable young people, their activities and successes, to impose their example among the young generation. The restrictive condition is that candidates for the Evrika Awards must not be older than 35 years. Candidates for the awards are nominated by public and business organizations, research units and universities, by non-governmental organizations and the media, and the final selection is made by specialized committees in each area.

For the fourth time, we are uniting the awarding of the Evrika Awards and the awarding of the Foundation's scholarship certificates for the 2025-2026 academic year. This is an expression of our policy for discovering, stimulating and supporting the development of young people with outstanding abilities in science, engineering and technology, for their preparation and preparation for successful realization in life.

For 36 years in a row, the Foundation has tirelessly supported projects to stimulate the development of the abilities and talents of young people who have chosen the difficult path in science and technology, stands behind young innovators and entrepreneurs, promotes the dissemination of scientific, technical and economic knowledge, good practices in training and research.

Guests at the celebration were: Prof. Stelian Shterionov – Deputy Chairman of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences; Vasil Velev – Chairman of the General Assembly of the Association of Industrial Capital in Bulgaria – co-organizer of the competition for young manager; Olya Dimitrova – Chairman of the Patent Office of the Republic of Bulgaria; Prof. Diana Petkova – Chairperson of THE sub-organizer of the competition for achievements in science; Prof. Madlen Daneva –  Deputy Rector of Sofia University "St. Kl. Ohridski"; Prof. dr. Tsvetana Stoyanova - Deputy Rector of the University of National and World Economy; Prof. Krassimira Yoncheva – Deputy Rector of MU-Sofia.

The ceremony was opened and led by Assoc. Prof. Vladimir Bozhilov.

The awards, an original metal statuette and a diploma, were presented by Prof. Stelian Shterionov and Vasil Velev.

The EUREKA Award for Achievement in Science for 2025 was received by Dr. Monika Mutovska - Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy of Sofia University "St. Kl. Ohridski" and a chemist at the Chemical and Toxicological Laboratory of the Military Medical Academy.

The award is given for the excellent defense of a dissertation on "Heterocyclically condensed 1,8-naphthalimides-synthesis and applications in OLED and as anti-tumor agents", for which she was awarded the educational and scientific degree "Doctor".

The dissertation developed approaches for obtaining benzofuran and benzodioxin substituted 1,8-naphthalimides, as well as for creating a library of compounds with potential biological activity. A large amount and quality of experimental work in the field of organic synthesis has been carried out. The results of the dissertation have been published in two scientific articles in one of the leading international journals in the field of dye chemistry, Dyes and Pigments – Article 1, Q1 and Article 2, Q2. In one of the articles, Dr.Mutovska is the first author, and in the other second, after her scientific supervisor, which is an indication of significant personal contribution. So far, 12 quotes from the first and 2 quotes from the second article have been noted. The results of the dissertation are presented at seven national and international scientific forums with oral reports and poster messages. Dr.Mutovska is a co-author in 9 more publications in refereed scientific journals outside the topic of the dissertation.

The competition is held jointly by the Evrika Foundation and the Union of Scientists in Bulgaria.

The EUREKA Award for 2025 for Young Inventor was awarded to Dr. Eng. Daniel Denev – Chief Assistant Professor at the University of Shumen "Bishop Konstantin Preslavski". TheEvrikaAward is awarded to him as a co-author in a protected patent for the invention "Metal Cutting Machine", registered as a patent by the Patent Office of the Republic of Bulgaria dated 30.08.2024. The machine is designed for performing flat grinding and milling of metal surfaces and is used in autotractor and other workshops in which the operation of vehicles is supported. The invented machine tool has a number of advantages that make it efficient, both economically and socially and technologically. It is suitable for small series and single production, reducing the cost of buying several machines. Works with standard tools and reduces the cost of maintenance and supplies. Allows easy readjustment for new products, reduces time and cost of implementation. Allows for the combination of functions (milling and grinding) in one machine, saves investment in individual facilities. The invention has high educational potential. Its configuration and capabilities make it an extremely suitable tool for learning and training applications, providing learners with a realistic, controllable environment for familiarity with production technologies.

 

For excellent performance in the competition, Elena Atanasova Blagoeva was awarded an honorary diploma – a co-author in a protected patent for the invention "Device for dosing food to farm animals."

 

Elena Blagoeva is a doctoral student at the Institute of Information and Communication Technologies of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. She has participated in three national and international research projects. He is the winner of the Lachezar Tsotsorkov Award  and the scholarship of Assarel Medet AD. In the last five years, there have been 16 scientific publications, two with an impact factor and 11 citations of scientific publications.

 

The 2025 EVRIKA Award for Young Manager was awarded to Dr. Antoan Shotarov – entrepreneur, university lecturer at UNWE in innovation and entrepreneurship, product manager and innovation consultant. It combines academic activity with practical entrepreneurial projects and manages a multidisciplinary group of companies in the IT, fintech, HR, hospitality and education sectors.

 

The specialized jury awarded the Evrika Award for Best Young Manager of 2025 to Dr. Antoan Shotarov for: significant achievements in the implementation of innovative entrepreneurial projects; successful use of a strategic approach in portfolio management; significant personal commitment to the development of academic institutions and socially significant causes.

 

The winner of the EUREKA Award for 2025 for a young farmer is Mitko Ivanov – a farmer and beekeeper from Dobrich. He graduated with a Bachelor's degree from the D. A. Tsenov "– Svishtov, majoring in" Agricultural Economics "and master's degree in" Agribusiness". He started dealing with bees from the age of 12. His beekeeping began in May 2003 with a bee family and a drain. This sweet love continues to this day and, as he hopes, will last a lifetime. Currently, his farm numbers about 200 hives in three types of beehive systems. Even in themostdifficult moments, he did not lose his courage. Above all, he wants to be a good person and is sure that he will never forget where he came from and how much effort it has cost him everything he has achieved so far. He is calm, because in beekeeping, as a profession: "Whatever you do, you can always lick your fingers!"

Greetings were made by: Prof. Shtelian Shterionov – Deputy Chairman of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences; Vasil Velev – Chairman of Bica; Prof. Diana Petkova – Chairperson of SUB.

 

Congratulatory addresses were read by Petar Kanev, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Economic Policy and Innovation of the 51st National Assembly, from the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, the Union of Scientists in Bulgaria, the Association of Industrial Capital in Bulgaria and the National Palace of Children.

Grigor Tsankov – Executive Director of the Evrika Foundation  awarded the certificates to 50 pupils and students nominated after a competition for scholarships of the Evrika Foundation for the academic year 2025/2026. 20 of them are representatives of Sofia University "St. Kl. Ohridski"; 4 each of Medical University  - Sofia and SMG "Paisii Hilendarski"; 3 each of MW "V. Levski", Faculty of Artillery, Air Defense and CIS – Shumen, NMNHS – Sofia; 2 each of PPMG – Sofia, Forestry Department – Sofia, Technical Department – Sofia and 1 each of Naval Academy" N.Y. Vaptsarov "– Varna, High School" Dr. Petar Beron "– Varna, PU" Paisii Hilendarski ", Economic Department -Varna, Technical Department – Varna, Medical Department – Plovdiv, Shumen University "Bishop Konstantin Preslavski", UACEG – Sofia, University of Insurance and Finance – Sofia, Medical University - Varna.

 

Acad. Kiril Boyanov – Chairman of the Council of the Foundation provided with a targeted  donation the funds for the scholarships and presented the certificates to Alexander Prodanov and Rumen Mihov – students at Sofia University "St. Kl. Ohridski", winners of medals from the International Olympiads in Physics and Informatics.

In a short word, Acad. Boyanov  congratulated the laureates and scholarship holders, congratulated them on the awards and wished them all future success. She thanked all the friends of the foundation who had actively supported it in carrying out its mission – scientists, statesmen, public figures.

Prof. Madlen Danova – Deputy Rector of Sofia University "St. Kl. Ohridski".

As co-organizer of the competition for young manager,  Vasil Velev – Chairman of the General Assembly of the Association of Industrial Capital in Bulgaria, congratulated the participants in the competition and said that being a manager and a farmer in Bulgaria is much morecomplicated than it is in other countries. He thanked for the long-standing cooperation with the Evrika Foundation

Scholarship holder Todor Tachev from the Medical University – Varna and N.Y. Vaptsarov Naval Academy – winner of the named scholarship "Acad. Metodi Popov" responded to the welcomes and thanked for the support.

More information about the winners of the EUREKA Awards for 2025 can be  found here.